Man throws acid on teenage girl; held

Mehsana, Feb 1: A man allegedly threw acid on an 18-year-old girl outside her college today, angered by her refusal to accept his marriage proposal, police said.

23-year-old Hardik Prajapati allegedly flung acid on the girl, who has now lost 60 per cent of her vision, as soon as she stepped out of Nagalpur Arts and Commerce College this morning, they said.

"Prajapati was overpowered by other students and was handed over to police," said D L Vaghela, police sub-inspector of Mehsana 'A' Division.

He said students also set ablaze Prajapati's motorcycle after locking him up in a room. As per preliminary investigation, Prajapati had been stalking the girl, a student of first year B.Com, from last one year.

The acid caused extensive damage to her face and she has also lost 60 per cent of her vision in the attack.

"The girl was then rushed to civil hospital, where the doctors told police that almost all skin and tissues of her face have been burnt," Vaghela said.

In her complaint, she alleged that Prajapati has been stalking her from last one year and had proposed her several times, but she had refused.

"We have arrested Prajapati under section 326-A voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.) of IPC. He claimed to be a resident of Vadnagar of Mehsana district and completed his Bachelor of Engineering. Prajapati claimed that the girl has ditched him after two-years of affair, which angered him," said Vaghela.